Bitterless Love
by bluester07
Summary: Percy and Annabeth finally get some peace and quiet in their lives, even as they try to balance their relationship with their school life. But when they feel something, a tug on their heartstrings, they don't know whether to be worried or not - Chiron wasn't, and neither was Aphrodite's children. Fluffy (sort of), cute Percabeth. Post the Last Olympian. No HoO at the moment.
1. Spark to Flame

**BITTERLESS LOVE**

**Spark to Flame**

**Description: Why? The question swarmed through her head as she tossed and turned, paced and tapped, trying her best to free her thoughts. Why couldn't she stop thinking about him? Percabeth.**

**Setting: Before the Last Olympian.**

**Disclaimer: I'm not rick Riordan, I don't own his marvelous work. **

* * *

Why?

Why did it have to consume her every single thought, filling her head with false beliefs? Why was it all she could picture, right at that very moment, with the rest of the Athena cabin falling into a well-needed sleep around her? Why couldn't she just forget it, that one moment of danger that had caused her to behave irrationally, however true to her heart those actions were?

Annabeth had a feeling she was worrying her siblings - or, at least the ones that were still awake. Her continuous tossing and turning, fidgeting, sitting up then laying back down, pacing, and irritated attitude towards every single tiny, minuscule thing, was not her normal behaviour. Her siblings surely knew that something was bothering Annabeth. Picking at her brain, bit by bit, seeping into her veins and coursing through her body like a horrible drug. In one word, Annabeth was frustrated. With everything.

She sighed heavily and stood up, for the sixth time in the past twenty minutes, walking to the door, then back to her bunk. She focused, as well as she could, on the movement of her feet, the regular pace, the faint plod. She tried to clear her head of all thoughts on the matter, and was nearing success.

A flash of deep, sea green. The faint scent of salt water.

Immediately, his face filled her head, and it just wouldn't go away. Her steps froze in place and, as quietly as she could, Annabeth sunk to the floor, dropping her head into her hands, massaging her temples. She kept remembering the feel of his lips on hers in the blistering heat. She relived the overwhelming feeling of reluctance as she forced herself further and further away from him, into the depths of the labyrinth, and the gut-wrenching agony, worry, and guilt that flooded her when the volcano erupted.

As much as it hurt, Annabeth wanted to focus on those feelings, hoping they would distract her. But, of course, it didn't work. She pictured his messy, dark brown hair. His deep, mesmerizing eyes like pools of emeralds only much more beautiful. His perfect features; perfect eyebrows, perfect nose, perfect mouth, perfect chin, perfect ears, perfect everything! She sounded like a love-sick child of Aphrodite, and she couldn't help wondering if he had the same effect on everyone else, or if it was just her alone that had to suffer. Even the idiotic words that came out of his mouth, the ridiculously confused thoughts that he always voiced made her fall harder and faster. She was stuck in a pit of quick sad, sinking every second of every minute of everyday, with no way to pull herself out; and maybe she didn't want to be saved.

Another sigh escaped Annabeth's lips and she began tapping her finger on her knee compulsively.

"Annabeth, are you alright?" Malcolm asked from his bunk.

She looked up, eyebrows scrunched in confusion, interrupted from her thoughts. "Hmm?"

"Are you alright?" He seemed genuinely concerned, and rightly so. Her erratic behavior would be both worrying and irritating to watch.

"Yeah. Fine. Why?" She finally answered, flustered.

He shook his head, but continued to watch her, along with half the cabin. She only just noticed the eyes that bore into her from all sides of the room, and an uncomfortable feeling settled in.

"I'm going for a walk," she announced, standing abruptly. Without waiting for a reply, she glided out the door, almost running. When she closed the door behind her, however, she didn't know what to do. She couldn't go back now, and it was far too cold to venture down to the beach. Annabeth noticed the light on in the cabin across the yard and, without realising it, her feet began to move directly toward the door to the seashell-covered box. Her thoughts caught up to her actions as her hand rapped on the door. It immediately opened before she could turn around and trace her footsteps back to safe territory.

"Annabeth?" said the very person who had been haunting her mind for hours.

"Hey," she said softly.

He chuckled. "Can't sleep?"

"You know me too well."

He shrugged and stepped aside for her.

That's when her commonsense kicked in. She was in his cabin, cabin number three, home of the green-eyed, dark brown haired, perfect eared boy. The one and only Percy Jackson.

Annabeth could've hit herself for her stupidity. No child of Athena should loose their sense of... Wisdom. It was wrong, on so many levels, for her to be there at that moment in time, trying to control her muddled-up feelings.

"You're thinking more then usual," Percy stated, breaking the silence she hadn't noticed until then.

She rolled her eyes, determined to act as her usual self. "Seaweed Brain." She couldn't help smiling at the comment. She could add this one to the long list of 'Stupid Things Percy Jackson Has Said'.

"What's up?"

"The roof?"

"Smart ass."

"Kelp head."

He frowned, looking down at his feet. Annabeth couldn't help but laugh at his lost expression.

"Nope," he finally said, "I got nothing. You win."

She rolled her eyes, momentarily distracted from her horribly wonderful thoughts. Until his gaze met hers, and she was once again lost in her fantasy world, asking herself that same question, the one she couldn't answer.

Why?

"Why what?" Percy asked, confusion written on his face.

"Hades," she cursed. "Did I say that out loud?"

Percy gave her an odd look, and she had the sudden urge to assure him that she was not loosing her sanity.

"Yeah, you did."

Her cheeks flushed, and she forced herself to look away from him.

He rolled his shoulders, uncomfortable, before speaking softly, his voice full of concern. "What's wrong, Annabeth? Something's really bothering you, I can tell."

She sighed, shaking her head, not knowing what to say. How do you explain to your best friend that you can't stop thinking about them?

"You can talk to me, you know."

"But that's just it! I can't talk to you, not about this." Once again, her brain was completely unaware of what she was doing.

"Why?" He was genuinely concerned, his unease as clear as the night sky out the window, pinching his face. He seemed to age in a matter of seconds. A guilty feeling settled into Annabeth's stomach. She was the cause of his worry. Percy cared, with all of his heart, for her, whether as a best friend or something more.

"Why, exactly," she muttered.

"Annabeth-"

"I just have a lot on my mind, and it's really bothering me. Don't worry, Percy," she assured, flashing a forced smile. "I just like to have answers to every question."

He nodded slowly, processing her words. She almost smiled, knowing she made very little sense to him, Seaweed Brain that he is. It's not like she spoke in riddles. "So, your question is why?"

A heavy sigh escaped her slightly parted lips, her shoulders sagging. "Yes," she whispered.

Percy nodded again before dropping himself onto his bed, pulling Annabeth down so she sat beside him. "Why what?" he asked again, gently.

She squeezed her eyes shut, holding back a tear. There was a strong feeling settling into her heart, seeping into her bones. Her stomach clenched tightly, her throat constricting, as the powerful longing overwhelmed her. How she longed to be in his arms, safe and warm, to feel his sweet breath tickle her neck, to have his soft, delicate lips on hers.

"Annabeth?" With one finger, Percy lifted her chin, forcing her eyes to meet the fiery gaze. Despite her best efforts, a single, sparkling drop rolled down her cheek.

"I hate you, Perseus Jackson. You're a horrible, horrible person," she whispered, although her tone held no sign of contempt. "Do you have any idea how annoying you can be?"

Percy's mouth twitched into a small smile. "What have I done this time?"

"Everything," she sighed.

"You really know how to confuse me, you know."

"I know."

He wiped away her tear with one quick flick of his thumb. "Tell me what's wrong."

Annabeth bit her lower lip, contemplating what to do. Should she just tell him, and risk ruining their friendship over her stupid feelings? She was fairly certain he had some feelings for her, too, however minuscule they were. There was always that sparkle in his eyes whenever he looked at her, and if she wasn't imagining it, she might even go so far as to call it love.

"I don't know how," she admitted.

"Then show me, if you can. Or write it down."

Looking into his eyes, Annabeth found the courage to do what she knew needed to be done. She took a deep breath, steadying her nerves, and slowly leaned forward, not daring to avert her gaze. When there was nothing but a centimeter between them, she hesitated. The cabin was silent, not even the usual crash of waves on the shore in the distance, the chirping of crickets, the growls of the monster in the woods, could be heard. The only sound was their nervous, heavy breathing, their breath mingling together, caressing Annabeth's cheeks. When Percy didn't move away, she closed the distance.

It was nothing like she'd imagined. His lips were like silk on hers as he returned the kiss, her mouth melding perfectly with his like it belonged. With the first touch, a spark ignited in her chest, and as his hands found her hips, the flame grew brighter and brighter. Leaning against the headboard, he pulled her over him. She held his face in her hands, straddling him. There was a passion to their movements, however small it seemed, a strong emotion that passed from her to him, then back again. The kiss remained gentle and graceful, like the tides flowing elegantly around one another in an eternal chase.

When she pulled back, her breathing was steady, She peered at him, loosing herself in his beautiful green eyes. He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand, thumb tracing the curves of her mouth and chin.

A smile graced her lips as she broke the unnoticed silence, asking quietly, "Why can't I stop thinking about you?"

Percy lifted a lock of her hair and twirled it around his finger. "You're beautiful, you know?"

"You're not too bad yourself."

He smirked and pulled her onto his chest where she buried her head, sighing contently. His warm arms held her close as he rested his chin on her head.

They stayed like that, lost in their peaceful thoughts, until the moon rose further in the sky and Annabeth had to leave.

Percy walked her back to her cabin in silence. When they reached the door, she opened it quietly, trying her best to not make a sound. She glanced around the room. Everyone was sound asleep. She turned back around and leaned on the door frame, smiling.

"That's all that was wrong?" Percy whispered, grinning.

She shrugged. "Yep."

He regarded her for a moment, smiling softly, before stepping forward to place a soft kiss on her lips, then walked away into the night. Annabeth sighed, watching after him. When she turned back around, she felt numerous sets of eyes watching her, amused.

"Go to sleep!" She groaned.

As she climbed into bed, she faintly heard a few rounds of laughter that were instantly washed away as she drifted off to sleep.


	2. Normality

**Sorry** **it took so long. I've been off sick, and I'm writing at a leisurely pace. **

**I'm changing it to first person. Sorry if that annoys anyone, but it was difficult for what I planned to write.**

**Okay, next chapter. **

* * *

Percy (NINE DAYS LATER)

It amazed me just how much could go on at camp without anyone else noticing. Although you could trust most of these half-bloods with your life on the battle field, your secrets will never be safe at Camp Half-Blood if word gets out. Over the years, I've come to realise I train with some of the most nosy people you'll ever meet.

No one knew Annabeth and I had started dating, with the exception of her siblings, and despite who their godly parent was, I trusted them. Sort of. I didn't really care whether or not anyone at camp knew, but if Athena found out... I shuddered thinking about it. She had clearly warned me to stay away from her daughter. Me, being the well behaved demigod I am, ignored her. Boy, was I going to get it.

An hour ago, I had pulled Annabeth down to the lake. Although she wouldn't swim, and she claimed to have a lot to do with Daedalus' laptop, we were still able to dangle our feet in the water, talk about pointless things, try our best to forget what was to come in the near future, and sneak in a kiss when no one was looking. Most of the campers were busy with whatever it is they do - hey, I'm an only child who doesn't particularly care what everyone else is doing, especially when the children of Aphrodite are involved - and, though there was probably something of more importance to focus on, we looked for any excuse to spend more time together.

"You know, for once, I don't want to go back to school this year," Annabeth admitted, entwining her fingers in mine.

I raised my eyebrows. "Did I hear that right?"

She elbowed me in the side. "Shut up, Seaweed Brain."

I chuckled for a moment before asking, "Why?"

"Because I want to spend more time with you." Her cheeks were tinged pink. "And I can't be bothered dealing with social issues. I swear, I don't know where all the stuck-up snobs come from, but where ever it is, I wouldn't complain if they all went back."

"So it's not just me?"

She smiled. "Okay, I guess mainly, yes, it is you. We never get to see each other during the school term. And now that we're-"

She stopped herself as a set of loud, fast footsteps reverberated through the wooden pier. We turned to see Malcolm hammering towards us, a look of urgency in his eyes. Annabeth shot to her feet, the worry evident in her scrunched eyebrows, stiff shoulders, and set stance, prepared for anything. I couldn't help thinking how adorable she looked.

"What's wrong?" she asked, expecting the worse. On the verge of war, spirits tended to run a little high at a camp full of ADHD demigods.

Malcolm's eyes widened. "Oh, nothing! We just didn't want to touch your bunk, and cabin inspection's in ten minutes."

She sighed, relaxing. "I'll be a minute. Thanks, Malcolm."

He nodded, glancing in my direction, at my hand laying beside me on the deck, palm up, where Annabeth's had just been, and I swear he looked amused before he turned around and sprinted off. Annabeth knelt beside me and placed a kiss on my cheek before following after.

I stared into the water, my mind wandering from one thing to another, watching the naiads at the bottom of the lake as the combed each other's hair, colourful schools of fish swimming by. The plants and weeds on the rocky floor swayed back and forth, the occasional bubble or two floating to the surface.

That's when it hit me.

_Cabin inspections!_

XXXXX

After the usual camp dinner in the pavilion, and a rather lifeless sing-along lead by the Apollo cabin, I sat with Annabeth in the amphitheater, watching the purple flames flicker and waver in the wind, shrinking down to a mere spark as the last few campers left. For at least an hour now, I'd been thinking about my upcoming birthday. For most teenagers, turning sixteenth is just another opportunity to throw a big party, open presents and overall, just enjoy the fact that you're young and free and have nothing to worry about. For your average half-blood, the prospect of actually living to that age astronomical. But for this Son of Poseidon... Well, lets just say I'm not particularly looking forward to it. All I know is that, when I turn sixteen, I have to make a big choice that will either save or end the world as we know it. One wrong decision and I could change Western Civilization forever. What's to celebrate, really?

I still didn't know what the prophecy was, and I think that's what worried me the most. I had no clue what would happen, all I knew was that it wouldn't be good. All I was certain of was that I had had enough action and adventure in my lifetime. I needed a break from being a hero.

But how did I tell Annabeth what I was planning to do?

Planning. Not really something I'm good at. Planning was Annabeth's thing, not mine. Somehow, my thoughts kept drifting back to the blonde-haired, grey-eyed Daughter of Athena, who happened to be my secret girlfriend. She's been there since the start, was with me on my very first quest to retrieve the lightening bolt, when the only problem was stopping a war between Zeus and Poseidon. That all seems trivial now, knowing the stakes of the new threat.

Remembering how much Annabeth had been through made me feel cowardly, but also gave me the slight hope she'd understand what I had to do.

We made our way out of the amphitheater, and when we reached Athena's cabin, I took a deep breath, ready to explain my plan to her in the most persuasive way I could, outline the pros and cons, when she finally broke the heavy silence.

"I know what you're thinking, Seaweed Brain," she said softly, staring intently at the door. "It's your first instinct. Run. Hide. I should know. I ran away from home when I was seven, and at the time I thought it was my only option. And, honestly, I don't regret it. But I've seen you suffer a lot in the last few years. I knew you would as soon as you crossed camp's boundary. You saved the world, you saved Camp Half-Blood, and you saved me. Not to mention all the little things you've done on the way. You don't deserve to have to live like this. You've endured a lot in your lifetime. I watched you. I can see it now in your eyes."

All thought of speech left my mind, drifting away with the light breeze. After a moment of quiet, Annabeth turned her head, finally looking at me. Her eyes locked with mine and she continued.

"Go. You've already done so much, and everyone still expects more. I know you, Percy. You're overwhelmed. You need to breath."

In the faint light from the window, I noticed the tears that pooled down her cheeks. I didn't know why she was crying, but it pained me to see her sad. Quickly, I lifted my hand and gently brushed her cheeks. I started to speak. "Annabeth-"

"No." She shook her head. "Don't. It's what you were thinking, right? You were going to tell me you wanted to leave, have a few normal days, whatever that means." She laughed lightly, without amusement.

"Yeah. That's exactly what I was thinking," I confirmed.

She nodded and whispered, "I thought so," all the while, keeping her gaze locked on mine.

"Annabeth, why are you crying?" I asked.

It was almost as if I could see the internal battle raging inside her. Her eyes gave away so many emotions that I could barely interpret just one. Finally, she seemed to come to a decision. She wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled my head down to hers, pushing her lips to mine hungrily. She kissed me almost desperately, like she was afraid it would be our last. I really hoped it wasn't.

When she finally pulled away, panting for breath, she spoke again, her voice anguished. "Tell Chiron. He'll understand."

My eyebrows scrunched together, my forehead crinkling like it does when I'm confused. "What's wrong, Annabeth? Why are you crying? Why are you so set on me leaving? I mean, I don't think you want me to go, but you're saying I should because you think it's the right thing. Right?"

A small smile crept on to Annabeth's face, faintly outlined in the pale moonlight. "Right." She opened her cabin door, letting the light pool out over us, and stepped over the threshold. She turned back to me. "Goodnight, Seaweed Brain."

I watched her for a moment before speaking. "You didn't answer my first questions."

Pain flashed across her features, briefly, and she shook her head. "It doesn't matter..." She heaved a heavy sigh. "See you in a few days then?"

I nodded. "I guess."

Annabeth glanced around her, taking in her sibling on their various bunks. Most were trying their best not to pay us any attention, and one or two were actually asleep. When her gaze swept back to me, she seemed to cringe internally. That was when I realised she was scared. Terrified. Annabeth was frightened by what could happen, what the mysterious Great Prophecy could bring. And most of all, I think she was worried for me.

Something clicked inside me, like a final puzzle piece sliding into place. Annabeth was _my_ best friend, and _my_ girlfriend. I had to protect her, no matter what, whether physically, in a battle with one or a hundred monster, or emotionally. And I had to always be there for her, however she needed me. Right now, I could see what she wanted, more then anything, and so I stepped forward, in the middle of her home at Camp Half-Blood, in front of all of her sibling, and wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her in for a hug. She buried her head in my chest and cried openly, her shoulders shaking with each sob. Annabeth barely showed weakness, but even the toughest warriors needed to open up sometime or another. If you've never cried, then you're not human. That's what my mum says. So I let her tears soak my camp shirt as I rested my chin on her head, pulling her in as close as I could. Eyes peeked at us from all around, worried faces peered from high and low, but no one moved.

I held Annabeth for a few minutes until her sobs slowed and her tears stopped flowing. When I kissed her hair, she sniffled and looked up at me. She stood on her toes until her head was level with mine and lightly pressed her lips to mine. A few more minutes passed until someone coughed. When we didn't pull apart, I was knocked back by a pillow. Yes, a big fluffy pillow. Rolling my eyes, I walked swiftly out the door, turning only to say goodbye to Annabeth.

"I'll be back," I promised, and with that, I left for the Big House in search of Chiron.


	3. The Last Olympian

**"Am I continuing this story?"**

**I've been asked the question a few times, and the answer is:**

**Yes, I am, and if you note the story status, it will say 'incomplete'. **

* * *

**IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU READ THIS CHAPTER IF YOU WANT IT TO MAKE SENSE!**

* * *

I'm not gong to write the whole The Last Olympian book, because that would be boring. Here's the general idea, though.

Percy and Annabeth keep their relationship a secret, which explains why Annabeth was so worried about Percy disappearing to the underworld. It also adds to the whole dip in the river Styx thing, when Annabeth is Percy's lifeline, and why Annabeth felt compelled to take the knife for Percy when he was invincible.

The 'best underwater kiss' scene is when the camp finds out, although they don't exactly know they were dating before that. They keep that as their anniversary day because it's the day they make their relationship official.

So, yeah, that's my general idea. The Last Olympian book stays exactly the same, in fact, all the books do. I'm just writing the in-betweens :)


	4. Sensations

**BITTERLESS****LOVE**

**Sensations**

**Sorry it took so** **long to update. I started writing a chapter, but thought it was too far ahead, so wrote this one instead - and when I say started, I mean I've written a few thousand words.**

**Anyway, enjoy the chapter! It's a bunch of Percabeth fluff as a space filler so the story doesn't just jump forward too fast. Set after the Last Olympian. Percy and Annabeth have already left camp - as Rick Riordan wrote. **

**NOTE: For this story, we're all just going to pretend the Heroes of Olympus never happened, because I don't like making assumption about the books-still-to-come. So, Percy never went missing, the gods aren't silent, etc. If you want me to somehow include the new demigods, PM me (Piper, Leo, Jason, Hazel, Frank, etc.) and if you have any ideas you would like me to consider, again, just PM me.**

**DISCLAIMER: Rick Riordan wrote the Percy Jackson and the Olympian series, and so I, unfortunately, do not own any of the characters, original storyline (for the books), and all that. I do, however, own this story, so the ideas ate most likely my own. But just consider, I am not the genius behind Percy Jackson, and therefore my writing is far from Rick's standards. **

**Constructive criticism welcome. If you see any errors, please let me know.**

* * *

Annabeth

"She's going to freak,you know."

I chuckled at Percy's antics. Through the entire walk from the train station to Percy's apartment building, he'd been warning me, over and over, to watch what I say and how I say it. Apparently, his mum wasn't used to Percy bringing his girlfriends home to meet her. Not that I was complaining. As far as I was concerned, he had never really _had_ a girlfriend until now. Unless you count Rachel, of course, which I don't, because there was never a relationship between them to begin with.

Percy hadn't told his parents that we were dating. I suspected that was because he wanted me there while he dropped the pin. From what I've heard, Sally Jackson was a little... eccentric when it came to the girls in Percy's life. He had told me to be prepared for squealing, jumping, and bear-hugging.

"I mean it," Percy warned. "She'll start-"

"Jumping up and down and talking non-stop," I interrupted. "I know. You've been telling me that all day."

He nodded. "Good. Because she gets real excited about these things."

I shot him a sly glance. "Are you nervous, Seaweed Brain?"

"What? No!" His shoulders tensed. "Why would I be nervous? We're only about to tell my mum what she's been waiting to hear since the moment she met you two years ago. What's to be nervous about?"

I raised my eyebrows but said nothing. It was news to me, that Percy's mum had been waiting for us to start dating. We'd made it pretty obvious we were just friends - or, at least, I thought we had.

"I mean, it's just mum!" Percy went on. "It's not like she's _your_ mum. _That_ would be terrifying."

"Hey!"

"What? It's true!"

We walked on in silence, reaching the apartment in no time. During the elevator ride, Percy tapped his foot repeatedly on the floor. Usually, this would've annoyed me, but I figured he was just anxious, and when Percy was anxious, his ADHD usually kicked in. The doors opened with a loud _DING_ and we stepped out simultaneously. As we neared his home, Percy froze.

"I can't do this," he admitted.

I wanted to be the supportive girlfriend, but I couldn't help the small smile that tugged on the corners of my mouth. "Come on Percy, it's just like you said. It's only your mum," I reasoned, although my tone of voice was probably more amused then assuring.

His eyebrows scrunched together with worry, and I have to admit, he looked pretty cute. "Exactly! It's _my_ mum. She'll freak!"

"I know. You've already said that."

"Argh," he moaned in frustration.

I stepped in front of him and gripped his upper arms. The ADHD part of my mind noted, completely off topic, that they were hard and muscular.

"Percy, listen. We can do this. Together." I looked him directly in the eyes, those gorgeous deep, deep green eyes. "It'll be fine. We're just going to tell her that your my boyfriend, and I'm your girlfriend. It's as simple as that." I reached up, on my toes, and planted a gentle kiss on his lips, hoping to avert his train of thought. It sent a tingle through my mouth and down my back. I still wasn't used to being able to kiss Percy whenever I wanted, even though we'd been together for a while now. I had fallen into a routine, in the short amount of time our relationship was secret, to deny there was anything between us more then friendship and pretend that's _all_ there was. Just a good, close friendliness. Now, we were free to kiss, hug, and hold hands in public. The change came so suddenly, almost immediately after the battle with Kronos, that it was a little overwhelming. Luke's death, Kronos' defeat, then Percy's moment of truth, all in the same night. Not to mention the loss of some of the campers who fought bravely against the Titan lord's forces.

Percy's expression was a little dreamy, which made me laugh. Apparently, the distraction had worked. I tugged on his hand and dragged him to the door. He pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked it, swinging it open and allowing me to step through before him.

"Percy?" A voice called from down the hall. "Is that you?"

Percy swallowed. "Yeah. And Annabeth."

He led me to the kitchen where his mum was baking blue chocolate-chip cookies. They smelled really good, and I finally understood why Percy's eyes clouded over and he started drooling whenever he mentioned his mum's cooking.

"Annabeth!" Mrs Jackson took off a pair of oven mitts. "How are you, dear?"

"Great," I said. "Thank you."

She smiled and looked at Percy, who stood behind me awkwardly, twirling Riptide between his fingers. I elbowed him in the stomach.

He coughed. "Right. Hey, mum. How's it going?"

Sally narrowed her eyes. "Percy. What aren't you telling me?"

I couldn't help it. The look of absolute terror on Percy's face was hilarious. He could face an army of monsters and an all-powerful Titan lord and not drop a sweat, but when it came to admitting to his mother he had a girlfriend he was all clammy-hands and hammering heart. I threw my head back and laughed.

"I'm sorry," I breathed, wiping a tear from my eye. "Your expression..."

When I looked at Percy, he had a small smile on his face and he was watching me, a sparkle in his eye. It was almost like he was in a trance.

"What?" I asked.

"Hmm?"

"What are you looking at?"

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. "Nothing," he murmured.

"Oh, Percy." Mrs Jackson chuckled. Then her expression turned serious again. "Now, what's going on?"

It truly amazed me how quickly their conversations could change. I'd seen it once before, how they could go from laughing to straight-faced in seconds. I guess Percy and I were the same, too, though. One minute I would be angry, yelling at him, and the next we would be kissing.

"Um, well..." Percy began. I couldn't understand what he said next. He spoke too fast and was far too quiet to hear.

"Percy. In english," I said.

He sighed. "Okay. Well, mum. Annabeth and I... well, you know. We're... dating."

There was a moment of silence. Then, as Percy had warned, Sally scooped me into a tight hug, squeezing me so hard my eyes bulged. She was saying something, maybe squealing, but I couldn't hear her, my ears covered by a mass of blonde and brown hair. I could barely breath, and was about to protest, when the air rushed back into my lungs and the feeling came back into my body. Sally had moved on to Percy.

"Oh, I'm just so happy for you!" She exclaimed. "I knew this would happen. I've been waiting for it for a while. Percy, you should've just been a man and told Annabeth how you felt."

I would've laughed if I wasn't nursing my recently-squeezed side and gulping air.

"Now, Sally, we don't want to suffocate them." Paul was standing in the doorway, smirking at the sight before him. Apparently, he'd been there for a while. He looked pretty comfortable, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest.

A moment later, Percy was beside me, free from his mums vice-like grip. He slipped his hand in mine, taking heavy breaths.

"Okay, mum, we're just going to..." he pointed out the door and slipped past Paul, eager to leave, dragging me in tow. He plunked down onto the couch and pulled me onto his lap. "What did I tell you?"

"You were right," I admitted. "She does get excited."

He snorted. "Understatement of the century." He began twirling a lock of my hair around his finger. I sighed, resting my head against his shoulder. I loved moments like these, no matter how short they were. I liked it when it was just me and Percy, when we could be together and have no distractions, no loud campers to throw us into canoe lakes, no monsters to slice to dust. It wasn't very often we were left to just... be.

"You know, we've got the whole weekend ahead of us," Percy murmured into my hair. "I'm sure if we asked, mum would let you stay over so neither of us would need to catch the train everyday just to see each other."

"Hmm, you know what? For once, that seaweed brain of yours came up with something reasonable."

"Why, thank you."

I rolled my eyes and turned to see Percy's face. My eyes automatically zoomed in on his lips while I spoke. "I don't want to be a hassle. Your mum has enough to handle, with you. Two demigods would be too much."

I felt his chuckle rumbling in his chest. "I'm sure she would manage for a night or two. It's not like she'll be complaining. Besides, I don't like the idea of you wandering the streets alone on a Friday night without me there to protect you."

"You protect me? And what exactly would you be protecting me from?" I asked.

His finger grazed my cheek lightly, leaving a warm sensation where he touched. "You can save yourself from monsters, that I won't deny. But there are some bad people roaming the streets."

He sounded so genuine, like he truly did worry about that sort of thing on a regular basis. It was nice to know there was someone out there who was keeping an eye on me and fretting over my safety, even if it was unnecessary.

I didn't know how to reply, so I leaned closer and pressed my lips to his. It started out light and gentle, a simple kiss as a way to say thank you for caring. But Percy was quick to deepen it. It was a battle for dominance, as it usually was with Percy and I, however this was different. There was something meaningful in the way his lips parted around mine, and how his hand cupped my cheek. A message, an understanding, seemed to pass between us. He was pouring so much passion into the kiss, it was almost too much to bear. Emotions roiled inside my chest and a knot formed in the pit of my stomach. A feeling so strong it hurt plucked on my insides like harp strings. My heart thundered in my chest, banging hard against my rib cage. He made me feel so many emotions, all at once. I didn't know how, but he had that affect on me. And it truly hurt, but not in a bad way.

It took me a moment to realise I couldn't breathe, and I had to pull away. Tears were streaming down my cheeks for no apparent reason as I breathed in as much air as I could. I didn't know what had just happened. It was like nothing I'd ever felt before.

Percy was watching me closely, worry evident in his creased forehead. "Are you okay?" He wiped a tear from my cheek, but there were many more. "What's wrong?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. I just..."

I couldn't explain it. I didn't know what was wrong myself, so how could I tell Percy?

Instead, I buried my head in his chest, breathing in the smell of salt water that was so Percy. My shoulders didn't shake from sobbing, my eyes didn't sting, but the tears just kept on pouring out.

"Annabeth," Percy consoled. "What happened? Did I hurt you somehow?"

I let out a shaky breath. "No. I don't know. _Something_ happened, I just don't know what." I looked up at him. "I felt something so-_strong_." I laughed breathily. "I don't even know why I'm crying. Gods, what's wrong with me?"

Percy studied me for a while, his eyes boring intently into mine. "Maybe we should tell Chiron."

I squeezed my eyes shut to stop the tears. Percy's arms wrapped around me and pulled me in, his chin resting on my head. He didn't need to saying anything more. He only needed to be there. That was more then enough comfort. It said more then words ever could.

"You're staying here tonight," Percy whispered, what felt like hours later. "We'll ride on Blackjack to camp tomorrow."

We feasted off warm blue cookies for a while, but we were tired and decided to turn in early - well, for a Friday night, at least. Percy offered me his bed, saying he would sleep on the couch, but I refused.

The lounge really was comfortable, and I had more then enough room. I wasn't too hot or too cold, and the pillow under my head was nice a fluffy. But as midnight came and went, I couldn't fall asleep. I tried counting sheep - 239 - then counting the leaves on a tree in the corner - 451. I even counted the number of cars that honked in the busy streets of New York, even at night - 43. But nothing I did made any difference. I was exhausted, and my eyelids were heavy, but something prevented me from getting any shut eye. There wasn't anything on my mind. The weird experience from earlier had slipped from my thoughts hours before. But my body said sleep while my brain said no.

Finally, I couldn't take it. I kicked of the blanket and slipped my feet onto the cold floor as quietly as I could. Trying not to make a noise, I crept towards Percy's room and slipped through the door, closing it softly behind me. When I turned around, Percy was fast asleep, a string of drool dripping from his mouth and onto his pillow. _Gross_, I thought, but tried my best to ignore it. I stepped closer, a little uncertain, stepping from one foot to the other.

_Oh, what the heck. _

I slipped under the covers beside Percy, careful to avoid the small patch of drool. As my head hit the pillow, Percy stirred. He blinked a few times.

"Annabeth?" His voice was groggy with sleep.

"I couldn't sleep. Sorry." I was glad the darkness hid the blush that warmed my cheeks.

Percy just smiled and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me into his chest. And for some reason, I fell asleep in a matter of second.

* * *

I woke up the next morning, feeling safer then I had in years. I didn't want to open my eyes, to leave my dream world, because, for once, my dreams were actually good. No spiders, no gods or goddesses trying to kill me, and most importantly, no Luke. Instead, replacing the usual horrible nightmares were flashes of scenes that left a warm feeling in my stomach.

Percy and I were sitting by the canoe lake at Camp Half-Blood, holding hands. We were just laughing. That's all. But it was so perfect. It was like all the bad things in the world, all the hard years of our lives, meant nothing. We were still able to laugh and smile and be happy.

Then we were in a crowd of campers in the amphitheater, singing along to the Apollo cabin, smiling, having _fun_. And in the next moment, Percy was kissing me, and everything went quiet. Everyone was watching us, rolling their eyes, but we were so caught up in our own world that we didn't notice - or just didn't care. The camp fire, however, was blazing so hot and bright, the flames reaching right up to Olympus, that it didn't seem to matter what everyone else was feeling. The emotions that Percy and I emanated fueled the fire with such a strong, powerful aura. Passion and love poured from the two of us like they were the only things that mattered. And to us, they were.

Finally, just before I awoke, I glimpsed a scene of pure and utter content. I was wrapped in Percy's arms, my head resting on his chest, his chin on my head. We were staring straight ahead, into the horizon, and it was like we were prepared for anything, like we were saying, _bring it on, world_. Nothing would faze us, and nothing would stop us from being together, from being in that place of elation.

When I finally did open my eyes, I couldn't see anything. My head was tucked away in someone's chest. I shuffled, and pulled back a bit, looking up at the... wide awake face of Percy. He was watching me, an adorable smile gracing his features.

"Morning," he said. "You look beautiful when you sleep." He reached out and tucked a stand of hair behind my ear. I felt my cheeks warm, but didn't drop my gaze.

"Not that you don't any other time," he added. "Because you're always beautiful."

Percy stroked my cheek with his thumb, that dreamy, idiotic smile not leaving his lips. I imagined what my face looked like. Probably something close to his.

The door creaked open.

"Percy," Paul's voice said. "Breakfast."

Percy didn't hear him. I smirked and rolled my eyes. "Seaweed Brain, someone's talking to you."

He was so clueless sometimes. His expression was scrunched up in confusion. "Who?"

Paul laughed. "Your mum says breakfast's ready."

When he left, I imagined him telling Sally what he'd seen. I could already hear her excited babbling and rush to find a camera.

"Come on, sleepy head," I laughed. "I smell waffles."

That woke him up.

* * *

Apparently, Mrs Jackson had already taken a few photos - 57 - before we woke up, so we could expect a scrapbook sometime soon. At this rate, we'd have thousands of pictures in just one year.

Soaring over the Long Island Sound on Blackjack was exhilarating. Sure, I'd flown before, but that had been to fly in or out of danger. Now, there wasn't all that much to worry about. If it wasn't for Percy's insistence that we talk to Chiron about last night, I would've forgotten what'd happened completely. The thing that annoyed me the most, though, was that Percy wouldn't even _consider_ kissing me until he was sure I was okay.

A jolt went through my spine as Blackjack's hooves hit the ground. The summer session was long over, but dozens of campers milled around from their numerous training activities. After the gods' promise to pay more attention to their children, the unclaimed and unfound half-bloods had poured in. Renovations were happening everywhere, and a new line of cabins were being built so everyone had a place to stay. Even Nico di Angelo was showing his face around camp more often.

We jumped off Blackjack, stepping into a small crowd of campers. Some, who I didn't recognise, gave us odd looks or whispered behind their hands, but those we knew smiled and waved.

"Is that them?" I heard a boy, probably around 12 years old, ask Malcolm, my sibling from the Athena cabin.

Malcolm gave us an apologetic look. "Yeah, that's them. Hey Annabeth, hey Percy. How's it going?"

I glanced at the boy, then to my half-brother. "Hey. Who's this?"

"John, son of Dionysus. New camper." John looked at us in awe, his mouth hanging open. Apparently, it didn't go untold that Percy was the hero of Olympus, and I his faithful partner-slash-best friend-slash-girlfriend.

"Cool," Percy said. "I'm Percy. This is Annabeth. Malcolm, have you seen Chiron?" Straight to the point.

"Percy, stop rushing," I told him, but he ignored me. I wasn't worried, but Percy was freaking out for no reason. I felt fine, really, but he just didn't want to listen to my protests.

"Yeah, he's playing Pinochle with Mr. D." Malcolm pointed in the direction of the Big House.

"Mr. D. Great," Percy muttered. Despite everything, the god of wine still got on his nerves. "Thanks, Malcolm."

The next thing I knew, Percy was pulling me along by the wrist, practically running. He wasn't in such a rush before he ate, but the waffles woke him up. As soon as we were done, he had dragged me outside and called his pegasus.

When we reached the Big House, we found our camp directors sitting around their usual table.

"I win again," Chiron stated, laying down his winning hand of cards.

Mr. D grumbled something about lousy centaurs, throwing his remaining cards down and taking a swig of diet coke. When he saw us, he rolled his eyes. "Well, if it isn't Peter Johnson. What've you done now?"

Chiron turned around in his wheelchair, eyebrows raised. "Annabeth? Percy? Has something happened?"

Percy gave me a sideways glance. "I don't know, Chiron."

"Oh, here we go. More heroics," Mr. D grumbled, standing up. "I'm hungry." He stretched his arms and yawned and disappeared inside the Big House. Beside me, Percy relaxed a little.

"Well," Chiron gestured for us to take a seat and leaned forward.

"Um, I'm not sure what happened, but Annabeth..." Percy drifted off.

I sighed. "I said it's nothing, Percy. I'm fine."

"You were crying."

"And that's a crime?"

His eyes bore into mine so intently I had to look away. "Annabeth, you never cry."

"Everybody cries, Percy. Even you."

"But nobody cries for no reason."

"Maybe I do," I snapped.

"I'm just trying to help you."

Chiron cleared his throat. "Annabeth, why don't you tell me what happened."

I took a deep breath. "I don't really know. I just felt something really powerful. One minute I was fine, the next... well, it was strong. So strong it hurt."

Percy shot me a worried look, so I added quietly, "Not in a bad way."

"How can something hurt, but not in a bad way?" He asked, anger lacing his voice. I knew he was just making sure I was okay, that nothing was wrong. But I hated feeling weak. I didn't want everyone to think I couldn't handle myself, especially now that the war was over. Everyone would think I had snapped or something.

Chiron was silent for a moment before he asked, "What were you doing at the time?"

It was my turn to give the spotlight to Percy, who blushed and muttered, "Kissing."

"Ah." I thought Chiron was going to give some deep, philosophical speech, like he knew all the answers, but he just turned around and called, "Alaina!"

A girl who was sitting by the volleyball court ran over. I recognised her as one of Aphrodite's children. She was 15 years old and had been at camp for two years.

She sat beside Chiron and looked back and forth from Percy and I appraisingly.

"Annabeth, tell Alaina what you told me," Chiron said. So I did.

While I had been talking, Alaina's smile had grown into an all-out grin. She turned to Percy. "You've felt this, too?"

He paled. "Uh... Yeah, once. I thought it was just indigestion."

"What?" I turned on him. "So this has happened to you before, and you never told me? And now you're making a big deal out of it just because it's me-"

"Hey, you never told me what was wrong."

Alaina coughed. "Don't mean to interrupt, but don't you want to _know_ what's going on before you argue over it?"

When we didn't reply, she continued. "Okay, let's move on. Basically, I can't tell you all that much because it's not something you can tell. And it has nothing to do with your godly bloodline and all that, either. It happens to normal mortals, too. More often, in fact, because... well, half-bloods don't usually live long enough. But anyway, first things first. Percy, how long ago did you feel _it_."

"A month ago or something."

"So, you weren't kissing Annabeth at the time." It was more a statement then a question, but she still waited for Percy to confirm this.

I expected him to agree, but he looked at me with an expression that said "busted" before replying with a guilty, "Uh..."

Alaina grinned and winked. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone that you two've been dating longer then everyone thinks."

"Thanks," he muttered.

Chiron raised his eyebrows but said nothing. For once, we'd actually managed to hide something from the all-knowing centaur compacted into a wheelchair.

"Well," Alaina continued, "this just means that Percy went first, that's all. But that doesn't-"

"Wait a minute," I interrupted. "What did Percy do first?"

"Percy was the first to feel _it_," she said simply.

I sighed. You can never get a straight answer from a child of Aphrodite. Believe me, I've tried.

"What is _it_?" I asked.

"Some people," she began, "have really strong connections to each other that would take extremities to sever. Like Percy's empathy link with Grover, but a little different because that was made using woodland magic. Like I said, mortals feel it, too, but it can't be created by someone - not even a god. In your case, though, it's a little different.

"It's not like an invisible rope that joins you together, but more a feeling. I guess you two have always been close, and now that your dating..." Alaina trails off suggestively.

Percy and I stare at her, completely and utterly confused.

She sighed. "Like I said, it's not something I can explain to you. You'll have to figure the rest out for yourselves. It's really not that complicated. Just... think of it like a mortal would. No gods, no monsters, no magic and abilities."

"You mean, you're not going to tell us?" I demanded. Alaina shook her head. "Chiron?" I asked.

The centaur gave me a small smile. "She's right, child. You must discover the answer for yourself."

"The oracle made more sense when I was twelve," Percy muttered. "And she was a shriveled-up mummy in rags."

Percy had a point, even if his description was a little different from how I would put it. On the bright side, at least I knew that what happened hadn't been dangerous or life-threatening - for a change. If it was, Chiron would have told us. But still, a little sense would have been nice. It's not like we had a quest to complete or anything. So why couldn't the fates take it easy on us for once? One thing's for sure, though: when you're a half-blood, nothing's ever clear.

"Good luck," Alaina offered, before rejoining her siblings at the edge of the volleyball court.

Percy turned to Chiron. "Thanks. We better get going."

Chiron nodded and said goodbye. Percy called Blackjack and we flew back to Manhattan.

* * *

"What do you think that was all about?" I asked, when we were back in Percy's apartment, sitting on his bed.

"I don't know," Percy said. "You're the smart one, Wise Girl."

"Seaweed Brain," I smirked and hit his shoulder playfully. "You know, you haven't called me that since your first summer at camp."

"That's because it can only be used on special occasions."

I raised my eyebrows. "And what's the occasion?"

"This," Percy stated with a smirk. He held my face up and peered into my eyes. It was like he was looking into my soul, my very being, and it left a strange warm feeling in my stomach. He leaned forward and grazed my lips with his. My heart fluttered.

"Just being with you," he whispered. Then he pulled me into a passionate kiss that was, quite literally, breathtaking.

And I wouldn't have had it any other way.

* * *

**A/N: The thing that annoys me most in some people's PJO fanfics is when they use "Wise Girl" all the time. Percy only called Annabeth that twice, all in the first book. Clarisse has called Annabeth "Wise Girl" that many times! It's not a common thing, and not Percy's thing!**

**Okay... anyway, I hope you liked it! It's a little longer then usual (2000 words), which I'll be aiming for in the next chapter, too - although that might not happen because school holidays have ended ;(**

**Review!**


	5. Just a Dream

**I'm going to briefly say sorry for not updating sooner: SORRY! You don't need excuses, because that just wastes both our times. On with the story, then!**

* * *

Percy

On a small stretch of sand by the shore, a lone girl sat on a long towel, the beach fully enclosed by high cliffs of rock and stone. Her head was tilted back as she watched the grey clouds pass over the sun, and her blonde curls cascaded over her shoulder, messily bundled together. She wore a modest blue bikini that flattered her tanned skin, and a New York Yankees cap lay beside her.

There was an empty towel stretched out on the shore beside her, but no one claimed the space. White piles of sand surrounded the girl, and a trail of footprints led to an expanse of water that stretched on for miles into the horizon, but no one else could be seen. The beach was cloaked in an empty silence; the only sound the gentle lapping of tiny waves on the shore and the occasional whistle of wind between fissures of rock.

For minutes, nothing happened; not even the slightest ripple disturbed the calm water or smallest of bubbles rose to the surface. It was almost as if the girl's companion had vanished. Then something shot out of the ocean, and a swirl of black messy hair flying through the air, drops of salty water raining down as a boy's head bobbed up and down. The girl on the beach rolled her eyes, but smiled happily as the boy swam to the shore and dropped down beside her, leaving a trail of puddles in his wake.

They lay facing each other, propped up on one elbow. Their eyes bore intently onto one another's until the boy slowly leaned forward and brushed the girls lips with his. He whispered something into her ear – something that made her smirk – and gently brushed a stray stand of hair from her cheek. He tapped her nose lightly with his finger and whispered something else. Confusion fluttered across the girl's face before she burst out laughing, a sweet, melodic sound, like the nine muses playing a strain of harmonious notes, but a thousand times more beautiful.

The sound echoed through my head as my mind slowly drifted out of slumber. The girl's laughter began to flutter away, and was replaced by a loud banging, harsh in comparison.

"Percy!" The muffled voice of my mum called through the closed door. "Time for school!"

I sighed and rolled over. That was the sixth time I'd had the same dream of Annabeth and me. I knew they weren't demigod dreams, though, because they most definitely weren't nightmares. The complete opposite, in fact. So why did they send shivers down my spine?

The door creaked open, and my mum stood before me, smirking.

"Did you have a good sleep, Percy?" She asked sweetly.

I groaned and buried my face in my hands, embarrassed. Apparently, I talked in my sleep, or so I was constantly told. All six nights I'd dreamt of Annabeth, and all six nights my mum had heard me muttering her name in the early hours of the morning.

She chuckled and sat beside me. "Don't worry, honey. It's perfectly normal to dream about the people you care for."

"For _normal_ teenagers, maybe..." I mumbled, my eyes hidden behind my fingers.

"Your father may be a god, but that doesn't change anything. You're still a teenaged boy, and experience the same feelings _normal _teenaged boys do."

That's exactly what I'd passed it off as at first. Either that, or Aphrodite was messing with me again. But as the week moved on, I started to think that maybe it wasn't just a normal dream. Throughout my entire life, I'd had very few dreams that didn't mean anything. So when something that seemed harmless was repeatedly reoccurring, that would, to mortals, be simply muddled up emotions or hormones, to me it always felt like a warning. I couldn't let anything happen to Annabeth - I would take a knife for her any day without evening batting an eye. These dreams felt like a warning: _your love for this girl is your weakness, and we know it,_ or whatever weird things monsters came up with these days.

I sighed heavily and looked my mum, my kind, caring, beautiful mother in the eye, I tried my best to show her how freaked out I was.

"But what if it's not?" The question was barely even a whisper, but she heard it nevertheless.

Her warm hand rubbed circles on my back. "Tell me, Percy. I may not be an expert on these sort of things, but if it were a 'demigod dream', then wouldn't you see something bad?"

"Maybe... I don't know! I can't tell whether to be worried or to just pass it off as nothing, because from experience– wait. How do you know whether it was a bad dream or not?" I hadn't told her about the dreams, she just knew, and occasionally made a teasing comment about them. Unfortunately, Paul was usually around when she decided to make fun of me, so the embarrassment was only... oh, a hundred times worse? Give or take a few.

"Because, Percy, you've been smiling in your sleep. And drooling. You only smile like that when you're thinking about Annabeth."

I blushed and glanced at my pillow. Sure enough, there was a sufficient wet patch taking its time drying.

My mum hugged me, stood, and said, "Now, you better get ready for school. There are waffles in the kitchen and bus money in your bag. And, Percy?"

I looked up at her. "Yeah?"

"Everything will be fine, sweetie. Don't worry too much, okay?" She smiled, and made all of my worries vanish.

"Okay."

* * *

My stepdad, Paul Blofis, stood at the front of the classroom, chalk in hand. His mouth was moving, opening and closing, but all I heard was a faint buzzing, like an annoying bee circling around my head. Despite living with an expert and teacher of the subject, I hated English. Not only were there words involved, but we had to _study_ the words, too. Give me a sword and I'll slice and dice the nearest monster to dust, no problem. But words? Since first grade, in at least seven different schools, teachers who range from short and fat to old and half-blind have told me that, "Reading a book isn't Rocket Science." What I didn't tell them was that, as a dyslexic, ADHD demigod, I'd completely agree with that statement if the book were in Ancient Greek. And even then, it wouldn't be easy to read.

That annoying buzzing sound lessened as I zoned out completely, the jumbled words on the board blurring into a black and white mess. The toe of my shoe tapped softly on the floor, keeping a steady beat with the second hand on the clock. I managed to count 354 taps before the siren rang, effectively piercing through the silent, thoughtless bubble I'd been happily trapped in for those 354 seconds. I was the first to my feet, snatching my books off the desk and heading to the front of the room before anyone else had started moving. As I passed Paul's desk, he gave me a silent and discreet glance with an obvious meaning: stay behind. I inwardly sighed and took a few steps back as the rest of the class rushed out.

As soon as the last person stepped through the door, Paul spoke, "Percy, I know we agreed to keep home and school separate, but I'm going to have to break that promise."

"I had a feeling you would," I mumbled.

He chuckled softly, but his expression quickly turned serious. "Your mother told me you've been distracted lately with… your kind of things. It's hardly my area of expertise, but if you need to talk about it, man-to-man, I'm here for you, Percy." He placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder, and I couldn't help thanking the gods that my mum had finally found someone decent, and wasn't still stuck with Smelly Gabe.

"Thanks, Paul."

He smiled and nodded towards the door. I wanted to say something else, to tell him how grateful I was that he was looking out for me, but I didn't know how. I just had to hope he somehow knew.

As I was walking out, Paul called, "And, Percy. I handed in the permission slip this morning. For your swimming race tomorrow."

I thanked him again before I left and found my locker. Waiting for me was a tanned, brown-haired boy around the same height as me, with his arms crossed against his chest and back pressed against my locker door, blocking my way.

"So, Perce," he said, "rumour has it that you hooked up with Katie in the storage room. True or false?"

"False, Chris. I have a girlfriend." I pushed him out the way and twirled my lock.

Chris smirked. "Right. The girl you go to summer camp with who none of us have met. What was her name again? Anna-something?"

"Annabeth. And there's a reason you haven't met her, man."

Despite his characteristic flaws, Chris was one of my closest friends at Goode High School. He was on the swim team with me, and usually finished a few seconds behind me in second place. Being the son of Poseidon and all, I have a way with swimming.

Chris liked girls. Full stop. He'd never been in a relationship for more then four days, and had, as he liked to put it, "scored" almost every girl in the tenth grade, along with a growing number all over Manhattan. Some people say that, if he's drunk enough, he can be caught making out with a guy, too.

When we sat down at the lunch table, Chris picked up the conversation again.

"Dude, there are plenty of hot girls who are waiting for you to ask them out, and all that's stopping you is this imaginary girlfriend of yours."

Another swimmer, John, said, "That excuse again? Man, when will you let it go?"

"Don't be stupid, John. Annabeth's real," John's girlfriend, Sophie, said sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes. "You'll meet her tomorrow at the race. If she goes, that is. She hates watching sport."

This caught everyone's attention.

"So, _if_ she goes," Chris clarified. "Why don't you tell her you'll be there?"

I waved my hand. "Long story, but she said she'd probably go if she didn't have too much homework."

"So she's one of _those _girls," John said. "Too busy with school that she can't watch her boyfriend compete."

I picked at my sandwich as I spoke. "Actually, she doesn't know I'll be there. I thought I'd surprise her."

"How much?" Trent, a school basketball player, asked.

"How much what?" I asked, confused.

He grinned. "How much are you gonna pay this poor girl to pretend to be your girlfriend?"

The table burst out laughing, and I sighed, running a hand through my hair. I reached under my chair and pulled my bag onto the table. From the inside pocket, I took the photo of Annabeth and me sitting on the dock at Camp Half-Blood, holding hands. We were watching the stars, and Annabeth had lifted our joined hands to point out the constellations. Travis and Conner Stoll had snuck up behind us to take this picture, along with two others. We hadn't even known about them until the next morning when we found them plastered all over camp. I smiled at the memory, taking one last glance at the photo before putting it in the middle of the table. I knew it wouldn't be enough, though, so the next one quickly followed. It was another of the Stoll's, only this time we were kissing.

An awed silence fell as the two photos were passed around. A smug smile was plastered on my face as everyone gave me looks of disbelief.

"Why didn't you just show us the pictures before?" Chris asked.

"Because they're supposed to be privet. Annabeth'd kill me if she knew I'd showed you," I told them. One look at John's face, though, and I knew he wasn't convinced. "You still don't believe me, do you?" I asked.

"Dude, for all I know, these could be photo-shopped," John stated, grinning.

Trent nodded his agreement. "You'd have to be pretty darn good with computers, though."

I shrugged, having known they'd find an excuse to doubt me.

"Tomorrow, you'll see."


	6. TEMPORARY AN

**TEMPORARY A/N! IMPORTANT!**

This is the last week of my summer holidays, and therefore I am very busy organising my things, along with a lot of last minute events and all that. For a week, maybe two, I won't be able to write (although there's a - very slim - possibility that I will). And no writing, means no updating. SORRY!

This effects the following stories:

- Bitterless Love (Percy Jackson)

- Irrevocably (39 Clues)

- When Darkness Falls, Love Shines Brightest (39 Clues)

Again, I'm really sorry. If its any consolation, I'm bored out of my mind anyway, and I would be writing if I could. I keep getting messages asking why I haven't updated in a while, so there's my reason );

SORRY!

bluester07


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